Text entry for electronic devices

ABSTRACT

A method of inputting a series of characters into an electronic device ( 1 ) comprising a display ( 11 ), the method comprising detecting a first input associated with a first one of a plurality of discrete areas ( 53 ) of the display ( 11 ) for entering char-deters on the display ( 11 ); and recognizing the first input in the first one of the plurality of discrete areas ( 53 ) as a character input ( 59 ) while a second one of the plurality of discrete are as ( 53 ) is operable to detect a second input for recognition as a second character input ( 59 ), the. recognition of the second character input ( 59 ) occurring separately to the recognition of the first character input ( 59 ).

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of application Ser. No.13/748,052 filed on Jan. 23, 2013, which is a continuation applicationof application Ser. No. 12/086,312 filed on Jul. 3, 2009, U.S. Pat. No.8,428,359 issued Apr. 23, 2013, which is the U.S. National Stage ofInternational Application Number PCT/IB005/004018 filed on Dec. 8, 2005which was published in English on Jun. 14, 2007 under InternationalPublication Number WO 2007/066168. All of the above are hereinincorporated by referenced in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention relate to improved text entry forelectronic devices. In particular, they relate to a method for textentry into an electronic device, an electronic device, a memory storedwith program instructions for controlling an electronic device and agraphical user interface.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Handwriting recognition is often used to allow a user to inputinformation into electronic devices. Problems arise when inputting aseries of characters, for example a word or a telephone number, intosuch devices, as the process of recognizing a series of characters canoften be slow and inaccurate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one embodiment of the invention there is provided a methodof inputting a series of characters into an electronic device comprisinga display, the method comprising: detecting a first input associatedwith a first one of a plurality of discrete areas of the display forentering characters on the display; and recognizing the first input inthe first one of the plurality of discrete areas as a first characterinput while a second one of the plurality of discrete areas is operableto detect a second input for recognition as a second character input,the recognition of the second character input occurring separately tothe recognition of the first character input.

This provides the advantage that each character input is associated witha different one of the plurality of discrete areas. This allows theprocessor to recognize each character input independently of othercharacter inputs so that a user can make new inputs while, at the sametime, the processor can recognize the previous character inputs. Thismakes the process of entering a series of characters quicker and mimicsthe process of normal handwriting.

According to another embodiment of the invention there is provided anelectronic device comprising: a display having a plurality of discreteareas for entering a series of characters; a user input for enteringcharacters via the plurality of discrete areas; detection means fordetecting a first input associated with a first one of the plurality ofdiscrete areas; and processing means for recognizing the first input inthe first one of the plurality of discrete areas as a first characterinput while the detection means is operable to detect a second input, ina second one of the plurality of areas, for recognition as a secondcharacter input, the recognition of the second character input occurringseparately to the recognition of the first character input.

According to another embodiment of the present invention there isprovided a computer program comprising program instructions forcontrolling an electronic device comprising a display which, when loadedinto a processor, comprises: means for detecting a first inputassociated with a first one of a plurality of discrete areas of adisplay for entering characters; and means for recognizing the firstinput in the first one of the plurality of discrete areas as a firstcharacter input while a second one of the plurality of discrete areas isoperable to detect a second input for recognition as a second characterinput, the recognition of the second character input occurringseparately to the recognition of the first character input.

According to another embodiment of the present invention there isprovided a graphical user interface, comprising a display, that: enablesthe detection of a first input associated with a first one of aplurality of discrete areas of the display for entering characters onthe display; and enables the recognition of the first input in the firstone of the plurality of discrete areas as a first character input whilea second one of the plurality of discrete areas is operable to detect asecond input for recognition as a second character input, therecognition of the second character input occurring separately to therecognition of the first character input.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention there is alsoprovided a method of inputting a series of characters comprising anordered sequence of characters including a first character, a secondcharacter and a third character comprising; providing an orderedsequence of areas including a first area, a second area and a third areaon a display, where there is a correspondence between each character andeach area of the display such that the first character is associatedwith the first area, the second character is associated with the secondarea and the third character is associated with the third area; andwherein a traced input in the first area defines the first character, atraced input in the second area defines the second character and atraced input in the third area defines the third character and the inputin each area is processed separately from the inputs in the other areas.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention reference will nowbe made by way of example only to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1. schematically illustrates an electronic device;

FIG. 2. illustrates a flow chart showing method steps of a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 3A-3L illustrate a user using a graphical interface in accordancewith the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4. illustrates a flow chart showing method steps of a secondembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 5A-5H illustrate a user using a graphical interface in accordancewith the second embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The Figures illustrate a method of inputting a series of characters intoan electronic device 1 comprising a display 11, the method comprising:detecting a first input associated with a first one of a plurality ofdiscrete areas 53 of the display 11 for entering characters on thedisplay 11; and recognizing the first input in the first one of theplurality of discrete areas 53 as a first character input 59 while asecond one of the plurality of discrete areas 53 is operable to detect asecond input for recognition as a second character input 59, therecognition of the second character input 59 occurring separately to therecognition of the first character input 59.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an electronic device 1. Only thefeatures referred to in the following description are illustrated. Itshould, however, be understood that the device 1 may comprise additionalfeatures that are not illustrated. The electronic device 1 may be, forexample, a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a mobilecellular telephone, a television, a video recorder in combination with atelevision, or any other electronic device that uses a graphical userinterface.

The illustrated electronic device 1 comprises: a processor 3, a memory 5and a user interface 9. The user interface 9 comprises a display 11 anduser input means 13. The display 11 may be a touch sensitive display.The user input means 13 may comprise one or more areas on the touchsensitive display 11. The user input means 13 may also comprise othertypes of user input for example, a key pad or a joystick. The processor3 is connected to receive input commands from the user interface 9 andto provide output commands to the display 11. The processor 3 is alsoconnected to write to and read from the memory 5.

The display 11 presents a graphical user interface (GUI) to a user.Examples of GUIs according to embodiments of the invention areillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5.

The memory 5 stores computer program instructions 7 which, when loadedinto the processor 3, enable the processor 3 to control the operation ofthe device 1 as described below. The computer program instructions 7provide the logic and routines that enables the electronic device 1 toperform the methods illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4.

The computer program instructions 7 may arrive at the electronic device1 via an electromagnetic carrier signal or be copied from a physicalentity such as a computer program product, a memory device or a recordmedium such as a CD-ROM or DVD.

A method of controlling the device 1, according to a first embodiment ofthe present invention, is illustrated schematically in FIG. 2.

At step 21 the processor 3 controls the display 11 to present to a usera plurality of discrete areas 53 for inputting a series of characters 59using handwriting recognition. A character 59 may be any written symbolwhich is used to convey information. For example a character 59 may beany roman character, punctuation mark, Arabic numeral, numerical symbolor Chinese character. A character may also be a shorthand or abbreviatedsymbol used to represent a character or a group of characters.

The plurality of discrete areas 53 may be displayed as a series ofdemarcated areas on the display 11. The demarcated areas may extendcontiguously along an axis such that the process of inputting a seriesof characters in the areas mimics that of ordinary handwriting.

At step 23 the processor 3 detects the initiation stage of a characterinput. The initiation stage may be a user touching the touch sensitivedisplay 11 with an object such as a stylus or their finger. Theprocessor 3 determines, at step 25, which of the plurality of discreteareas 53 the initiation stage occurred in. Any further input followingthe initiation stage will be associated with this discrete area.

The processor 3 then detects, at step 27, the composition stage of acharacter input. The composition stage may comprise the user making adrag action or a series of drag actions by tracing a stylus or theirfinger across the touch sensitive display 11. The composition stage ofthe character input is associated with the discrete area in which theinitiation stage of the input occurred however the drag actions need notbe restricted to within the boundaries of this area. The drag actionscreate a trace 59 which is recorded by the processor 3 and displayed onthe display 11 at step 29.

At step 31 the processor 3 determines whether any further input occurswithin a predetermined time. If an input does occur then the processor 3returns to step 25 and determines which of the plurality of discreteareas the input occurred in. If no further input occurs within thepredetermined time then the processor 3 detects, at step 33, thatcharacter input is finished and the processor 3 begins the recognitionprocess.

If the input occurs in the same discrete area then the processor 3 willdetect this as a continuation of the character input. For example itcould be the dotting of an “i” or the crossing of a “t”. If the inputoccurs in a different discrete area then the processor 3 will detectthis as the initiation stage of a different character input and willdetect, at step 33, the first character input as completed. Theprocessor 3 will then begin the recognition process of the firstcharacter input. While the processor 3 is recognizing the firstcharacter input associated with the first discrete area, the user isable to make the next character input in a different discrete area.

The recognition process comprises, at step 35, the processor 3recognizing the character input as a character or a group of characters.This may be achieved by means of a look up table. At step 37 theprocessor 3 controls the display 11 to remove the handwritten characterinput trace 59 and replace it with the recognized typographicalcharacter 61.

Steps 25 to 31 can be repeated as many times as necessary. This allows aseries of characters to be entered.

FIGS. 3A to 3L illustrate an embodiment of a graphical user interface(GUI) 51 according to a first embodiment of the present invention and auser using the GUI 51. FIG. 3A illustrates the GUI 51 presented by thedisplay 11. The GUI 51 comprises a first portion 52, which can displaytext. This text may be text which has been entered by a user or textwhich is stored in the memory 5 of the device 1. In FIG. 3A no text hasbeen input yet, so the first area 52 is blank. The GUI also comprises asecond portion 54 which is used by the user for entering a series ofcharacters using handwriting recognition. This second portion 54comprises a plurality of discrete areas 53A, 53B, 53C . . . 53T,henceforth collectively referred to as 53. In this embodiment thediscrete areas are indicated on the display 11 as a plurality ofrectangular boxes extending in two horizontal rows across the display11. Other shapes and configurations of the areas may be used in otherembodiments.

FIG. 3A also illustrates a stylus 57 which may be used to make characterinputs in the plurality of discrete areas 53. In other embodiments auser may be able to write on the display 11 using their finger.

One of the plurality of discrete areas, in this particular embodimentthe lower right hand area 53A, is operable as an enter button such thatactuation of this area 53A by touching it with the stylus 57 causes anycharacters which have been input by the user in the plurality of areas53 to be entered into the text in the first portion 52. In otherembodiments the characters may be entered by activating a differentportion of the display 11 or by using different user input means.

FIG. 3B illustrates the GUI 51 after a first character input 59B, aletter “H” has been made by the user in a first one of the plurality ofdiscrete areas 53B. The input has been made by making a series of dragactions across the display 11 with the stylus 57. A trace 59 indicativeof these drag actions is displayed on the display 11.

In FIG. 3B the trace of character input 59B extends out of the area 53B.However, as each of the pen down actions of the character input 59B,occurred in area 53B then each of the drag actions are determined asbeing associated with area 53B. This means that the user is notrestricted by the size of the areas 53 when inputting characters, nordoes the user have to be particularly careful when inputting charactersto avoid going over the lines.

FIG. 3C illustrates the user interface after a user has made a secondcharacter input 59C, in this case a letter “e”. As the initiation stageof character input 59C occurred in discrete area 53C the character input59C is associated with discrete area 53C. Once the user has beguncharacter input 59C the processor 3 detects that character input 59B iscomplete and begins the recognition process.

In FIG. 3D the user has begun a third character input 59D, a letter “I”in a third discrete area 53D. The processor 3 has completed therecognition of the first character input 59B and has replaced thehandwritten trace in area 53B with a typographical character 61Bcorresponding to the handwritten input 59B.

In FIG. 3E the user has made two more character inputs, an “I” in area53E and an “o” in area 53F. The processor 3 has completed therecognition process of the first four character inputs and has replacedeach of the handwritten traces with typographical characters in each ofthe respective discrete areas. The user then wishes to begin inputting anew word. To separate the two words the user simply leaves the area 53Gadjacent to the area 53F associated with the last letter of the previousword empty and begins a new input in the next but one area 53H. Theprocessor 3 will detect that area 53G has no character input associatedwith it but the two neighbouring areas 53F and 53H each have a characterinput associated with them so that area 53G is recognized as a space.This allows a user to input more than one word at a time and allows fora more fluid method of entering characters.

In FIG. 3F the user has input characters “W”, “o”, “r”, “I”, “d” and “!”in the discrete areas 53H, 53I, 53J, 53L and 53M, respectively. Theprocessor 3 has completed the recognition process for each of thecharacter inputs and the handwritten traces 59 on the display 11 havebeen replaced by the typographical characters 61.

The processor 3 has incorrectly recognized the character input 59Fassociated with the fifth discrete area 53F as a “D” instead of an “o”.The user can correct this error by making a new character input in thearea 53F associated with the incorrectly recognized character. FIG. 3Gillustrates a user touching the display 11 with the stylus 57 in thearea 53G associated with the incorrectly recognized character. When theprocessor 3 detects this input it will delete the recognized characterand erase the typographical character 61F from the display 11 leavingthe area 53F blank, as illustrated in FIG. 3H, so that a user can beginmaking a new character input in this area. In some embodiments the usermay have to hold the stylus 57 in position for a predetermined length oftime before the recognized character is erased. This avoids accidentaldeletion of recognized characters.

In FIG. 3I the user has made a new character input 59N in the discretearea 53F. As with the previous character inputs the processor 3recognizes the character input and replaces the handwritten trace 59N inarea 53F with a typographical character 61N, as illustrated in FIG. 3J.

Once all the characters have been correctly recognized the user canenter the series of characters into the first portion of the display 52.In the embodiment illustrated this is achieved by touching the enterarea 53A with the stylus 57, as illustrated in FIG. 3K. In someembodiments it may be necessary for the user to hold the stylus in theenter area 53A for a predetermined time to avoid entering charactersunintentionally. Once the characters have been entered they aredisplayed in the first portion of the display 52 as illustrated in FIG.3L and the typographical characters 61 are erased from the discreteareas 53.

FIG. 4 illustrates a method according to a second embodiment of theinvention. In this embodiment the processor 3 can recognize an inputmade by the user as either a character or a gesture. The characters maybe, as in the first embodiment, any written symbol used to conveyinformation. A gesture may be an input which causes the device 1 toperform a function.

At step 71 the touch sensitive display 11 presents to a user a GUI 91.An example of a GUI 91 suitable for use with this second embodiment isillustrated in FIG. 5. At step 73 the processor 3 detects a first input.This input may be, for example, holding a pen or stylus on the GUI 91for a predetermined length of time.

In response to the detection of this first input the processor 3controls the display, 11, at step 75, to present to a user, a pluralityof discrete areas 97 for character input using handwriting recognition.These areas may be displayed on the display 11 as a series of boxes asillustrated in FIG. 5.

At step 77 the processor 3 detects a further input. This input may bethe initiation stage of a character input or a gesture input, that is,it may be the user touching the display 11 with a pen or stylus. At step78 the processor 3 determines whether or not this input occurred insideone of the plurality of discrete areas 97. If the input occurred withinany of the plurality of discrete areas 97 then the input made by theuser is recognized as a character input. The processor 3 detects acharacter input at step 79, this character input may comprise a seriesof traces across the touch sensitive display 11. These traces may bedisplayed on the display 11. At step 81 the processor 3 recognizes thecharacter input as a character, this may be done by using a look uptable.

If the input occurred outside the plurality of discrete areas 97 thenthe processor 3 recognizes the input made by the user as a gestureinput. At step 83 the processor 3 detects a gesture input which maycomprise a trace or a series of traces across the touch sensitivedisplay 11. At step 85 the processor 3 recognizes this input as agesture input. This may be done by using a look up table, preferably theprocessor 3 has a separate look up table for gesture inputs than it doesfor character inputs. At step 87 the processor 3 can control the device1 to perform the function associated with the gesture.

FIG. 5A illustrates an embodiment of a GUI 91 presented by the touchsensitive display 11 in accordance with the second embodiment of theinvention. In this GUI 91 a map is displayed illustrating a number ofstreets 93 and various establishments such as shops and restaurantssituated on those streets 93.

In FIG. 5A the user is using a stylus 57 to make a first input. Thisinput may be holding the stylus 57 in position for a predeterminedlength of time. In response to the detection of this first input theprocessor 3 controls the display 11 to present to a user a plurality ofdiscrete areas 97 for character input using handwriting recognition, asillustrated in FIG. 5B.

FIGS. 5C to 5F illustrate the user inputting handwritten characters inthe plurality of discrete areas 97. There is only one character inputassociated with each one of the areas 97 in this particular embodiment.In other embodiments there may be more than one character inputassociated with each area 97. The processor 3 can recognize the input ofeach area 97 independently of the inputs associated with the other areas97.

In FIG. 5C the user has made a first character input 99A correspondingto a letter “s”. This input may be made by tracing a stylus 57 acrossthe touch sensitive display 11 in the shape of a letter s. In FIG. 5Dthe user has made two more character inputs corresponding to a letter“h” 99B and a letter “o” 99C in the areas 97B and 97C respectively.

In FIG. 5E the user begins to make a further input in the area 99D. Asthis is the next to last available area, the processor 3 detects thatthe user is running out of areas available for character inputs and socontrols the display 11 to present an extra area 97F adjacent to thelast available area 97E. In FIG. 5F the user has made a fourth characterinput 99D corresponding to the letter “p” in the area 97D.

In this embodiment the character inputs leave handwritten traces on thedisplay 11. In other embodiments these traces may be replaced bytypographic characters once the processor 3 has recognized each of thecharacter inputs. By recognizing each character input independently, theprocessor 3 can recognize the series of character inputs as the word“shop”.

In FIG. 5G the user makes an input outside of the plurality of discreteareas 97. This input is recognized as a gesture. In the exampleillustrated the gesture input 101 is a circle around the characterinputs 99 made in the plurality of discrete areas 97. When the processor3 detects the gesture input 101 as completed it recognizes the gestureinput 101 and then controls the device 1 to perform the functionassociated with the gesture. The processor 3 may detect the gestureinput as completed when no further input occurs for a predeterminedlength of time. Alternatively the processor 3 may detect the gestureinput as completed if another input occurs elsewhere, for example,inside one of the plurality of discrete areas 97. In this particularexample the processor 3 controls the device 1 to display all shopswithin the circle 101 drawn by the user, as illustrated in FIG. 5H.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in thepreceding paragraphs with reference to various examples, it should beappreciated that modifications to the examples given can be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as claimed.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out fundamentalnovel features of the invention as applied to preferred embodimentsthereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutionsand changes in the form and details of the devices and methods describedmay be made by those skilled in the art without departing from thespirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that allcombinations of those elements and/or method steps which performsubstantially the same function in substantially the same way to achievethe same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, itshould be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method stepsshown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form orembodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosedor described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter ofdesign choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only asindicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto. Furthermore, inthe claims means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover thestructures described herein as performing the recited function and notonly structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures. Thusalthough a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that anail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together,whereas a screw employs a helical surface, in the environment offastening wooden parts, a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures.

1. A method of inputting a series of characters into an electronicdevice comprising a display, the method comprising: detecting a firstinput associated with a first one of a plurality of discrete areas ofthe display for entering characters on the display; and recognizing thefirst input in the first one of the plurality of discrete areas as afirst character input while a second one of the plurality of discreteareas is operable to detect a second input for recognition as a secondcharacter input, the recognition of the second character input occurringseparately to the recognition of the first character input.